MUSE

THE ROLLS-ROYCE ART PROGRAMME

A NEW VISION

Rolls-Royce is synonymous with limitless imagination. Our driving ambition – to inspire greatness – embodies the same restless curiosity that spurs artists into new terrain.

In 2019 we launched Muse, a forward-looking vision that fosters creativity through collaboration with artists who share our passion for pushing technical and conceptual boundaries.

A legacy of exceptional artistic achievements will be established via two ongoing initiatives: The Dream Commission and The Spirit of Ecstasy Challenge.

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THE DREAM COMMISSION

A biennial invitation for moving-image artists to envision places of wonder.

Muse’s flagship initiative invites emerging and mid-career artists to submit a moving-image work that delivers an immersive sensory experience.

Artists will be identified by expert nominators worldwide and selected by a jury of leading curators and artists, in a two-phase, two-year process. Only one artist will be chosen to develop a final work.

The Dream Commission will cultivate a landmark collection of moving-image works that advance the medium.

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COLLABORATIVE PARTNERS

The Dream Commission is anchored in a collaboration with two of the world’s most highly esteemed art institutions.

FONDATION BEYELER

Switzerland’s most popular art museum combines nature, art and architecture. It hosts an important collection of classic modern and contemporary art, staging several exhibitions of renowned artists of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries each year.
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SERPENTINE GALLERIES

Championing new ideas in contemporary art since 1970, the Serpentine has presented pioneering exhibitions for nearly half a century, showing a wide range of work, from emerging practitioners to the most internationally recognised artists of our time.
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NOMINATORS

DANIEL BIRNBAUM
Director of Acute Art

 

CAO FEI
Artist

 

ZACHARY KAPLAN
Executive Director of Rhizome

 

PABLO LEOìN DE LA BARRA
Curator

 

SUHANYA RAFFEL
Museum Director of M+

JURORS

ISAAC JULIEN
Artist

 

HANS ULRICH OBRIST
Artistic Director at Serpentine Galleries

 

KATRINA SEDGWICK
Director of the Australian Centre for the Moving Image

 

TERRIE SULTAN
Director of the Parrish Art Museum

 

THEODORA VISCHER
Senior Curator at Fondation Beyeler

THE SPIRIT OF ECSTASY CHALLENGE

Inspired by an icon, exploring the potential of materials.

A celebration of both tradition and innovation, The Spirit of Ecstasy Challenge asks creative virtuosi to re-imagine the sculptural figurine that graces the bonnet of Rolls-Royce motor cars.

 

Three renowned practitioners will be invited to experiment with a material that is key to Rolls-Royce, such as leather, wood, glass, aluminium or carbon fibre. They will be encouraged to push the limits of the selected material and create objects that surprise, delight and inspire.

 

Each participant will visit the home of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood, England, where they will meet with our master craftspeople before completing their creations. Final works will then go on tour worldwide – including to Rolls-Royce showrooms – where they will be admired by art, design and car enthusiasts alike.

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Be the first to hear about our commissioning work with artists and designers, events, conversations with collectors and museum partnership programmes.

Continue your journey

Delve further into stories of Inspiring Greatness.

Dan Holdsworth’s ‘Acceleration Structures’ explores and examines the topography of three great Alpine glaciers using geomapping technology, like no artist has done before.

A Topographic Tale of Beauty

Dan Holdsworth’s ‘Acceleration Structures’ explores and examines the topography of three great Alpine glaciers using geomapping technology, like no artist has done before.

Rolls-Royce champions artists of international merit through its curatorial commissions, which enable artists to realise projects, explore ideas and engage new audiences.

Curatorial Commissions

Rolls-Royce champions artists of international merit through its curatorial commissions, which enable artists to realise projects, explore ideas and engage new audiences.

The inspiration is yours. The skills to create are ours. Let our collective of artisans and master craftsmen take the sparks of your original ideas and make them real.

Inspiration

The inspiration is yours. The skills to create are ours. Let our collective of artisans and master craftsmen take the sparks of your original ideas and make them real.

Inspiring Greatness